Mass Effect: Return of Hope
by MontyKarlStories
Summary: Takes place after Horizon and after Mass effect 2. Shepley romance continuation.  Colonist-SoleSurvivor-Paragon-Engineer
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

ALIVE

At first, she didn't believe the rumors, the accusations. But after Horizon, she couldn't deny the facts any longer. Shepard had betrayed the Alliance, he had let everyone believe that he was dead, his body charred and decaying on the icy surface of Alchera. He had lied to the entire galaxy, and more importantly, he had lied to Ashley Williams.

Dealing with his death was difficult, but when she found out that it was a ploy to betray the Alliance and join Cerberus, she was livid. Seeing him on Horizon stirred so many emotions inside of her, she didn't know what to do with them. She had walked away from him in fury and rage, then cried for him in pain. She was torn; completely and utterly torn, and the look in his face when she walked away, that look of pure misery caused her guilt. She hated him for making her feel the way she did, but for some odd, strange reason she still cared for the bastard. She still cared for his somber attitude and calm aura, which seemed to envelope him. She could feel the layers of pent up emotion stir by only embracing him for six seconds; she could feel the tension slide away from her, and the emotions cascading around her like the waterfalls on Eden Prime.

Eden Prime was where it had all began; where her feelings of fraternization had begun to manifest themselves; when he saved her and didn't think less of her for letting her squad get ambushed by an army of synthetics. She had felt like a bimbo when the signs of attraction towards the young commander had peeked through her rough, marine exterior, then he had kindled it, unleashed it to the point when Ashley couldn't even remember when she didn't have to make a point of not staring at him; and then the feelings were mutual, they didn't have to hide from each other, they didn't have to be scared about the repercussions of that night could have on their careers, but they didn't care. They were in love.

But Ashley Williams was an Alliance Soldier through and through. As much as she wanted to believe that he was telling the truth, he was working with Cerberus, a vowed enemy of the Council and the Alliance, and so he was her enemy as well. The thought was disturbing for her. The collection of raw emotion roaring through her body left her confused and doubtful, even of the Alliance. She needed answers and the only one to do that was Anderson.

The skycar ride to the Human Embassy was short, Ashley slipped through the door of the embassy seconds after it touched down. It had only been an hour since her ship had touched down onto the Citadel, Ashley was still clad in her white and red armor. Since humanity had taken its role on the Council, the embassy had become a whirlwind of activity. Politicians from every species could be seen flowing through the embassy like a torrent of river water. The crowd parted as the Alliance soldier marched through towards the upper level.

The smooth metal door slid open as she marched into Anderson's office. He sat hunched over his desk typing into his consol, his head snapping up at the sound of Ashley's boots clanging on the floor. The old soldier rose from his chair and motioned for Ashley to follow. They headed across the office onto the balcony that overlooked the presidium. They both just sat, staring out at the lake.

Ashley turned to the Counselor. "All right, Anderson, you read the report already, I'm guessing, but you don't seem that surprised about the fact that Shepard was on Horizon."

He eased away from the ledge he was leaning on. "No, I've already had contact with him."

"What the hell does contact mean?" She asked, her emotions stirring. He had spoken with Anderson, before Horizon? Why?

"I spoke with Shepard here on the Citadel. The council and I reinstated him into the Spectres. The first thing out of his mouth afterward was 'Where's Ashley Williams?'. I told him that the information was classified. He got angry and quickly left. Several weeks later he checked back in at the C-Sec office in the Zakera Ward. We spoke briefly, then he left again."

"You reinstated him into the Spectres? He's working for Cerberus!"

Anderson sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Shepard isn't working for Cerberus, they're working for him." He said.

Ashley blinked, not understanding. Anderson continued. "Shepard is using their resources to launch an assault at the collector home world. Cerberus is his supplier, he's still the one giving orders. The Illusive Man rebuilt the _Normandy _for the Commander."

Ashley shook her head, not believing what she was hearing. "Then why did he fake his death?"

"His death wasn't faked. Cerberus 'rebuilt' him. They spent billions of credits to bring him back. Since then he's been building a team to take through the Omega 4 Relay, to stop the Collectors."

Guilt flashed through Ashley's mind. He had truly died, and wasn't a traitor. He was still the Shepard she had spent the night with before Ilos, he was still the man that would risk his life to help others, and he still might love Ashley. She was a bitch. She had let her feelings for Cerberus cloud her thinking. She was an idiot for not listening.

"Shit," was all she could say. Anderson placed a firm hand on the young soldier's shoulder.

"I know how you feel about him Ashley," he said, using her first name for the first time. "I know how difficult this all must be for you. I'm ordering you to take some time off until I decide it's over."

"How…"

"Well for starters, you were the first person John asked about when he arrived, and because, believe it or not, I was in love once before. I know what heartache looks like."

She smiled timidly up at the old Alliance soldier. "Thank you, Anderson. That means a lot."


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Nightmares

AN: I apologies for any mistakes. I really should have reread chapter one, but I finished it at like, two in the morning and I was too tired to correct any mistakes. If there are any mistakes in this one, please, let me know. Chapter one should be corrected now. Every chapter will alternate between the POV of Shepard and Ashley.

-2 Months Later-

-Normandy SR-2/ 2200 hrs.-

The _Normandy SR-2_ floated through the endless backdrop of space, almost at a standstill. Distant stars winked from light-years away. The atmosphere on the ship was somber, many of the crew taking a well deserved rest. On the bridge, Joker was the only one awake, chatting with the on board AI.

Joker stretched his sore muscles and aching bones. His body still healing from the minor fractures inflicted back at the collector base, providing cover fire for the Commander as he jumped across a large gap between the collector base, and the _Normandy_.

He was afraid that he wouldn't make it, that the jump was impossible. But luckily for the galaxy, Shepard had a knack for accomplishing the impossible.

"Jeff, it is hazardous to your health to be up so late." A synthesized voice echoed through the empty CIC.

Joker laughed, but then winced as his ribs started to ache. "Damn," he said. "Really gotta' go easy on my bones, I'm gonna' end up killing myself if I'm not careful."

"By my calculations, your support did not change the probability of a mission failure. You only managed to set back our progression to the Citadel by three days," EDI said. "You also managed to injure yourself: a very impressive feat indeed, Mr. Moreau."

Joker scowled at the vid screen. "Yeah, laugh it up EDI, insult the cripple. At least I can _breathe._"

The AI did not reply for several minutes, before saying, in a very low volume "That is what I envy about organics."

"Aw hell- listen- EDI- I'm -"

"An apology is not required, Jeff. I know you did not mean to cause offense."

Joker sighed_, Shepard's going to be pissed when he finds out that I pissed off the ship_, he thought.

"Well, the apology isn't for your benefit, it's for mine. I'm sorry I said that. It was… mean." Joker said, swallowing his pride and apologizing to the AI.

"Thank you, Jeff." EDI said.

Joker relaxed in his chair, his eyelids heavy from looking at the bright vid screens that lit up the bridge. He yawned loudly before sleep over took him. Somewhere in hid dream, if it was a dream, he heard EDI speak to him.

"Goodnight, Jeff."

-Normandy SR-2/Deck 1/0600 hrs.-

A deep, ancient, synthetic laugh reverberated through John Shepard's dream. He was standing in the middle of a field; smoke could be seen rising into the sky several miles away.

John knew this field well. He and several of his childhood friends would walk through the dense forest to this field. They would play until the sun slid underneath the horizon before heading back home to eat dinner with their families.

In the dream, John could hear distant screams piercing through the night. The sky glowed orange, smothering the stars of the horizon. John recognized the screams of his mother and father. He broke into a full out sprint, arms pumping as he propelled himself through the endless sea of green. He ran for what seemed hours, his lungs ached from the sudden burst of activity. A sinister laugh, a mixture of screams, echoed through the grassy plain. It boomed inside of Shepard's head, forcing him to stop and clutch his ears.

From far away, the voice of a million Reapers ripped through Shepard's mind. "**You live because we allow it. You will die because we demand it. This is your future**."

John shot up from the bed, gasping. Sweat covered his bare chest, the bed sheets tangled around him. He rubbed his eyes, trying to get the image of Mindoir burning. He believed that he had managed to suppress the memories from that night, but yet they still lingered in his mind.

Shepard crawled away from the bed, yawning. He padded over to the shower, cranking the heat to the maximum level. It scalded his skin, the pain a perfect distraction to rid himself of the nightmare; but something from the dream unhinged him, something that he couldn't ignore. The screams were exactly as he remembered them, but there was a new one, Ashley's scream. It caused his blood to run cold. He would never let anything happen to her; that was his motivation. When he was faced against impossible odds, all he had to do was picture her in his mind, and he would come out alive. Well, ninety nine percent of the time.

After showering, Shepard slipped into his regular formal wear, minus the Cerberus logo, courtesy to Kelly Chambers. He sat down and read through his messages, mostly spam. When he was done, he reread Ashley's message, committing everything to memory.

"**Shepard-**

**I'm sorry for what I said back on Horizon. When I lost you two years ago, it tore me up. I prayed for you every day. I read a lot of Tennyson, thinking about you, just like I did when my dad passed. And then you came back, and it was like my prayers were answered. But I'm not who I was then, and neither are you.**

**I don't know what's true anymore. Part of me can't believe it's really you. I keep going back to that night before Ilos, our night... I haven't let myself think about those memories in over a year.**

**I wouldn't have expected you to work for Cerberus, but I know why they sent you to Horizon. I saw how many people were lost there, and if anyone can stop the Collectors, you can. I can't go where you're going, but I can wish you luck.**

**Just stay alive out there... Skipper. I don't know what the future holds, but I can't lose you a second time.**

**-Ash**

**Death closes all: but something ere the end  
Some work of noble note, may yet be done,  
Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods."**

This was his motivation during the fight against the collectors, the motivation that helped him make the final jump; the chance of making things right with Ash. He was going to see her again; he was going to prove that he was still the person that she had spent the night before Ilos. If he was ever going to get to see her, he needed to get the _Normandy_ moving.

The elevator door slid open to reveal the CIC. Yeoman Kelly stood at her normal position; typing away at her console. Shepard approached his own terminal and logged on. Kelly turned and eyed him with a concerned gaze.

"Commander, I know it's not my place, but EDI informed me that you've been having nightmares. If there is anything I can do to help, please, let me know."

John smiled at Kelly. "It's nothing I can't handle. Don't worry about me. I need everyone at their best. That includes you. I don't need anyone worrying about me."

Kelly shook her head. "Commander, you spend all your time helping other people. I think it's in everyone's best interest if you take a much needed shore leave."

"Kelly, I appreciate the concern, but there's a lot that still needs to be done. I have to speak with the Council, Anderson, and a whole lot of other people if we're going to be prepared when the Reapers show up."

Kelly frowned. "Commander, before we went through the Omega 4 Relay, you help the crew gain some closure before they went up against the collectors. You need closure more than any of us do.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll try, ma'am."

She smiled at her superior officer. "Good. Oh, Joker would like to see you on the bridge."

Joker was sitting on his "throne" bickering with EDI again. Shepard laughed quietly as they argued about whose turn it was to calibrate the drive output. Joker revolved the seat to face the Commander, a wise-crack grin on his face.

"Commander! Guess who just got permission from Doctor Chakwas to pilot his ship? Don't know? It's me, of course. So now, it should only take us about five hours to reach the Citadel. How about _that_! The _pilot_ gets to _pilot_ the _ship_!"

"Joker, you broke nearly every bone in your body. The doctor had every right to stop you from piloting. Just sitting in your chair could cause you to refractor your bones. She was just trying to help."

He sighed. "Yeah, well I'm not that much of a klutz. It hurts, yeah, but I can still fly."

"Glad to hear that, Joker. Now let's get moving. I need to speak with the Council as soon as possible."

"Aye, aye, Commander. Spinning up FTL drives now."

Shepard nodded and returned to the CIC. He began writing up a report of the battle at the Collector base. It was short and got right to the point. Shepard didn't have time for politics. He wrote exactly what he needed to write, laying down all the facts he could put together. He requested that EDI send all the information gathered from the Collector ship to the Council, as well as all the information the Mordin had gathered.

"Commander, we have arrived at the relay." Joker's voice came over the comm.

"Good job Joker. How are you holding up?"

"Jesus, Commander, it's not like I just wrestled a Krogan. I'm fine. Let's see if I can manage to go through the relay," there was pause before Joker cheered. "Looks like I still go it in me."

"Enough chit chat, and try not to break my ship. Or yourself."

"You really do care!"

Shepard shook his head. "Joker…"

"Right, right, don't break the ship. I'll try not to."

John retuned to his quarters, intending on catching a few winks before they reached the Citadel.

He was starting lose his edge, his awareness. Despite what everyone believed, Shepard was still human. He had his limits; it seemed that he had reached his. He was tired, not physically, but mentally. It seemed that he was holding the entire weight of the galaxy by himself. The Council had refused to believe him about the Reapers, even though he had saved their lives. Very soon, he'd make them see reason. They needed to prepare; the Reapers were coming, if they were going to come out of their attack alive, the galaxy would need to unite. The Geth, Rachni, Krogan, Asari, Turian, Batarian, Volus, Elcor, Drell; all living things in the Galaxy. And Shepard was just the man to unite them.


End file.
